Like many puppies, Tucker loves a good chase. But the 9-month-old chocolate Labrador wasn’t always able to see a squirrel dart across his path or a ball thrown in his direction. Until recently, cataracts caused by juvenile onset diabetes limited the puppy’s vision in both eyes.

At age seven, Izzu had already been an itchy dog for a few years. His chronic skin disease had been treated with antibiotics, antifungals, and steroids. He was frequently bathed with an anti-microbial shampoo. He was even placed on multiple diet trials to determine if he suffered from a food allergy.

Dingus, a 17-year-old cat, was already being treated at Ryan Hospital for small cell gastrointestinal (GI) lymphoma. Diagnosed in November 2016, he had responded well to medication, but through the following summer Dingus was slowly losing weight. He came back to Ryan for an examination where an abdominal ultrasound showed his intestinal tract was normal, but revealed something else.

Michael Crisp is used to taking in strays. For years, he and his family have fed cats living on the street, given them new homes, and provided them with medical care at the vet. Most of his rescues have just needed a meal and a basic checkup—but one kitten, who he quickly named Athena, seemed different.

Dr. Kate Backel was concerned. In fact, the first-year Penn Vet resident was losing sleep. Her patient Aspen, a six-year-old male Labrador Retriever, was in the midst of fighting a severe case of dermatophytosis (ringworm), complicated by the onset of a bacterial skin infection. His journey to recovery was proving to be a winding and particularly arduous one.

Penn Vet has long been recognized for its pursuit of excellence in education and training.While Exotics medicine is highly specialized, Ryan Hospital’s Exotics service is busy and robust, providing important exposure to students during their clinical rotations. Fourth-year students with a strong interest in Exotics medicine can take additional Exotics rotations as electives.

In 1998, while on vacation in the Virgin Islands, Margaret DeSimone spotted a beautiful tortoiseshell cat roaming Morning Star Beach. At that moment, she knew she had to bring the cat home. With the help of the Humane Society, Margaret flew Starlet, as she would later be named, to Philadelphia to begin her new life. Unbeknownst to Margaret, Starlet’s journey was only just beginning.

Church wasn’t acting like herself. The 13-year-old gray cat, named for her doppelgänger in the film Pet Sematary, was drinking more water than usual and was abnormally excitable. Her devoted owners, Lauren Catullo and Rianna Taylor, noticed the changes immediately. Thankfully, Church’s yearly veterinary exam was right around the corner.

Since birth, Brianna has fought against the odds. Born in an abandoned car on a farm in upstate New York, the dauntless calico was discovered by neighbors who bottle-fed her after learning that her mother had been hit by a car. Years later Brianna went missing for five days, only to be discovered behind a feed bin in a barn. Part of her tail had been stripped to the bone, evidence that she had survived an attack.

At first, Shawn Polukord thought Blaine had kennel cough. The eight-year-old Labradoodle had started coughing at night and, unfortunately, he was getting worse. Concerned, Polukord took him to a local veterinarian who noticed that, in addition to the cough, Blaine had an irregular heartbeat that sounded like “tennis shoes in a dryer.”

Electric blue eyes locked on the ball, the striking Husky sprints, then leaps and pounces, to catch the ball as it hits the pavement. Watching 11-year-old Bai Bai move with such agility and speed is surprising, as just a year ago she underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament.

At first, Shawn Polukord thought Blaine had kennel cough. The eight-year-old Labradoodle had started coughing at night and, unfortunately, he was getting worse. Concerned, Polukord took him to a local veterinarian who noticed that, in addition to the cough, Blaine had an irregular heartbeat that sounded like “tennis shoes in a dryer.”

The three-month-old pit bull mix puppy arrived at Ryan Hospital’s Emergency Service from the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT). His fur was matted with feces, he couldn’t bear weight on his left hind leg, his skin was extremely pink and painful to the touch, and his ear was swollen.

It was the kind of freak accident that is completely unexpected and fills the heart with dread and fear. The Broome household was bustling on a Saturday morning in May. Bob and Lori Broome were hosting family for their grandson’s baptism. Bob was outside playing fetch with Belle, the Broome’s two-year-old Standard Poodle. When she didn’t return with the ball, Bob grew concerned. During a brief search, he found her lying under their camper. She emerged with an injury that was almost impossible to believe.